Ruling Against HTC – We Can Help!

I know I have put this one off for a little bit longer than I should have, but I guess it is time to get it out there for those of you who are unaware of the bleak future that our beloved Android OS is facing today. Just in case you have not seen this in blogs and online publications throughout the web, here comes a shocker. A couple of weeks ago, we published an article regarding Apple throwing a second volley of lawsuits for patent infringement to one of the world’s largest manufactures of Android devices, HTC. We also mentioned in that article that the result from the first barrage was not known. This last weekend, it was announced that the preliminary ruling by the ITC was that out of the 10 patent demands, 2 were being awarded to Apple. One would think, “meh, 2 out of 10, that is not too bad”. However, this could not be further from the truth. These two patents are enough to send HTC packing back to Taiwan as Apple is looking to restrict all imports from the smartphone manufacturer. HTC has claimed that they will appeal for the decision to be reversed and that they expect a favorable outcome. The patents being infringed (see below) were filed back in 1995 with the Apple Newton. However, the general scope of those patents can include anything between cell phones and remote controls for your TV. They are so broad and generic that virtually you do not have a single piece of electronics today that doesn’t conflict with one or the other. I personally understand about intended use and original intent and all that stuff, but I just cannot fathom the thought that Apple could be granted patents like these, and that they could be enforced like these so many years prior to the birth of the PDA-phone.

XDA TV Star azrienoch sent me a very interesting message the other day, which I am pretty sure he will make emphasis on one of his upcoming shows. Developers could potentially be the solution to all of your problems, HTC. We have made your systems work better than they were originally envisioned for many years. It is very likely that we can help you out of this mess too, if you let us help. If anyone out there knows of ways to get in touch with the good people over at HTC, please let them know that they have the support of the developer community. We do not want to live in a world where the only choice will be Apple products. And remember, Motorola, Samsung, and many other big names are in the same boat as HTC (being sued by Apple). If they do win, this could very well mean the demise of Android in the United States, which could potentially have a very nasty ripple effect on the Android world as we know it. Lets prevent Apple from becoming a sole source for mobile technology.

Taoyuan, Taiwan–July 16, 2011 – HTC received notice of the ITC judge’s initial determination in the Apple vs. HTC case, ITC No. 337-TA-710. Apple originally asserted 10 of its patents against HTC in March 2010, and the judge ruled today that HTC infringed on 2 patents. HTC does not yet have access to the judge’s full opinion and analysis to determine the details of his findings.

“We are highly confident we have a strong case for the ITC appeals process and are fully prepared to defend ourselves using all means possible,” said Grace Lei, General Counsel of HTC. “We strongly believe we have alternate solutions in place for the issues raised by Apple. We look forward to resolving this case, so we can continue creating the most innovative mobile experiences for consumers.”

U.S. Patent No. 5,946,647: “A system and method causes a computer to detect and perform actions on structures identified in computer data.”

U.S. Patent No. 6,343,263: “A data transmission system having a real-time data engine for processing isochronous streams of data includes an interface device that provides a physical and logical connection of a computer to any one or more of a variety of different types of data networks.”

About Author

I have been an active member of xda-developers since 2005 and have gone through various roles in my time here. I am Former Portal Administrator, and currently part of the administrator team while maintaining my writer status for the portal. In real life, I am a Chemical Engineer turned Realtor in the Miami area.

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